Dearest Abani,

Dearest Abani,

It is with a great sadness that I must reject your invitation to the Doralic Ball next moon week. My mother, Duchess Synbell, forbid me from leaving my chambers for the remainder of the celestial month. It seems she was not too fond of my attempts to sneak out during the night hours in order to spend some time with you and the rest of our compatriots. Oh, if only my father were still around, he wouldn’t have put such a harsh restriction on me for something so harmless. After all, I had my Courtman with me! What could have happened with him at my side? The Duchess punished him as well, forcing him on toiletry duties for what will probably be the rest of his term.

Oh, but I wallow in my own problems too often. How are you dear? Have things been well with your chosen mate? I heard he’s been shopping around for a gift for you, you lucky thing. None the less, I’m glad you were able to make a relationship pact with his family, he is quite the catch. I’ve yet to come across any males that I’d like to pact with. That darned Gyron still expresses his affections for me through his scarlet flowers he sends every moon week, and it is only made worse still by the fact that the Duchess not only condones, but supports his wishes to pact with me! Luckily, my father did present me with my pact rights before his death, so she has no say in the matter. Maybe once I am allowed to leave behind the shackles of my confinement then I can go out and acquaint myself with a decent fellow, not unlike yours.

So have you been made familiar with the most recent news? I hear that the Faction Wars across the valley are coming to a ceasefire! Isn’t that fantastic? No thanks to the Duchess, but I’m glad it is finally coming to pass. Hopefully the Factions would be willing to join with ours, that way we could make sure their peace would stand for as long as possible. It will be so nice to finally be able to go out onto the algae fields and not look down into death and destruction on the surface.

That reminds me, what do you think the surface is like? I’ve heard that there are plants whose leaves point upwards towards us! That must be so strange, seeing their roots on the ground. That Flygel from across the way once told me that most of their roots are under the dirt, but I just laughed at him. He can be silly sometimes, that boy. Didn’t you once tell me you had a relative who went down there for research purposes? Oh you must ask them to tell us all about it sometime! It would make for some wonderful stories.

Lastly, I wanted to talk to you about the recent meteor showers. I know everyone is talking about them, but our starwriter keeps telling me that they aren’t meteors and they are most likely some sort of space vessels from another planet within our system. Though he wishes to share this will the rest of our faction, the Duchess forbids him. I don’t know about you, but I believe him. He warned me to be careful and never go out in the night hours in the algae fields where I would be without cover, and I wanted to pass that warning on to you. I think he may be implying abductions, but I dare not think of such a thing.

Hopefully we can meet up soon my dearest Abani.

With best wishes,
Cynalli Estryn Synbell